Laundry tag



A. F. HANNEY July 3, H9340 LAUNDRY TAG Filed Aug. 16, 1952 INVENTOR J/va/As f. fiwwvzy ATTO RN EYS Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES LAUNDRY TAG Angus F. Hanney,

Norwood, Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company,

Cincinnati, Ohio,

Application August 16,

' Claims.

My invention relates to a laundry identification tag adapted to be applied to a piece of laundry goods for identifying the piece of goods as belonging to a particular lot or bundle throughout 5 various laundry operations.

The success of the identification tags depends upon the gripping power of the jaws and the effectiveness of a goods gripping means provided on the jaws, for example, a cooperating tongue and groove. It is the object of my invention to provide an improved goods gripping means on the jaws of the identification tag which will eifectively grip the goods ina manner to retain the tag on the goods against accidental removal or displacement, and, at the same time, be of a nature to reduce possibility of goods tearing as caused by a pull on the tag and goods respectively, and of a nature such that there will be no holes pierced in the goods in securing the tag to the goods.

Various other objects and advantageous features of my invention may be seen from the following description, and one embodiment thereof may be seen in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designatec'orresponding parts and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a laundry identification tag embodying the features of my invention, the tag being shown prior to being bent to gripping shape; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tag as used for identifying laundry goods; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a piece of goods disposedbetween and gripped by the jaws of the identification tag; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing an identification tag holder on which a plurality of like tags may be disposed for assorting purposes, as will be hereinafter apparent.

The identification tag shown in the drawing is of the type disclosed in the patent to Edwin Lane No. 1,621,259, for Laundry checking device, wherein each tag is one of a plurality of tags going to make up a distinct set and includes a single piece of resilient sheet metal 1 that is bent to form substantially fiat opposed jaws 2 and 3 and a spring portion 1, the jaws being adapted to receive laundry goods therebetween and being provided with sockets 4 for accommodating the nibs of a spreading tool whereby goods may be inserted between and removed from between the jaws as, for example, pliers.

In suitable places, such as the face of one or both of the jaws 2 and 3, an identifying number or legend 4' may be placed if desired and one a corporation of Ohio 1932, Serial No. 629,033 (Cl. 40-23) of the jaws, such as the jaw 3, has an integral lateral extension 5 which is provided with a warded opening 6 which fits over a key '7 having wards 8 that cooperate with the wardings in the slot 6. This warding principle or other-slot and key configuration provides for an unlimited number of sets of tags, each set being adapted to be disposed on a single key only whereby the tags and keys can be used for laundry'assorting purposes. Likewise, it permits a like set of tags .65 to be assorted from a plurality of tags of different sets. v

The success of the identification tags depends upon the gripping power of the jaws and the effectiveness of a goods gripping means provided -,'-f on the jaws, for example, a cooperating tongue and groove.

In accordance with my invention, each of the jaws 2 and 3 is provided with fabric gripping tongues 9 and tongue receiving apertureslO, each- '4" tongue'preferably having a top side of the same general configuration as the aperture which receives it. In this instance, the jaw 2 is provided with two aligned and spaced tongues 9 and one aperture 10 therebetween while the jaw E 3 is provided with two aligned and spaced apertures 10 and one tongue 9 therebetween, whereby a tongue of one jaw cooperates with an aperture in the other jaw.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, it will be notedthat'; the tongues 9, formed by stamping or otherwise, as by the use of a sharp pointed tool or by casting, have rounded blunt end portions 11 and extend angularly and upwardly from the surface of the jaw in a direction away from the open end19 of the tag, each of the tongues having an undercut 12 between the rounded blunt end thereof and the surface of the jaw on which the tongue is disposed on the side of the tongue that is toward the curved spring portion 1'. Likewise," it will be noted that the apertures 10 are sufficiently large to permit entrance of the tongues thereinto, with the rounded ends of the tongues being spaced a fairly short distance from one edge of the apertures. L

In the use of this tag, the jaws 2 and 3 are spread apart by the insertion of the nibs of a spreading tool into the sockets 4 and operation of the spreading tool, and a piece of goods 14, see Fig. 4, is inserted between the jaws. Then, the/ jaws are permitted to close under the influence of the bent spring portion 1' whereby the rounded blunt end 11 of each tongue 9 will enter and push the goods upwardly into the aperture 10 that cooperates with the tongue, the goods bevybent spring portion 1. 7 such construction and arrangement of the pulling the V spreading the jaws and, at the same time, hold the tags on the goods I goods and with a minimum danger of the goods being torn by a pull on the tag or the goods.

ing forced into the undercut 12 of each tongue by the side of the aperture 10 adjacent the blunt rounded end 11 of the tongue, extending upwardly over the rounded end of the tongue and thence outwardly between the free ends of the jaws 2 and. 3.

With the above arrangement, three or more goods: gripping points are provided with the use of a minimum number of tongues and apertures and the cooperation between the blunt rounded end 11 of the tongue, the undercut portion 12 thereof, and the side of the aperture 10 adjacent the rounded blunt end of the tongue provides a lock between the goods and the tongue that will efiectively resist pulling the goods out of the tag without spreading the jaws thereofa For ex-' ample, the tongues 9 extend upwardly and well into the apertures 10 and thegoods 1.4 willhave holding pressure exerted thereon at a point. 15 between the jaws as shown in Fig. 3, between'the rounded blunt end of the tongue and the adjacent sidefof the aperture 10, and at a point 16 between the surfaces of the jaws 2 and 3. In addition to this, the construction. and arrangement of the i tongues relative to the apertures 10 provide for a reverse bend in the goods as'at 17, the goods extending from the, free ends of the jaws 2' and 3, thenbeing bent reversely in the jaws and then extending on back between the jaws towards the It will be apparent that tongues and apertures will effectively prevent tags from the goods without first without penetrating the What I claim is l 1. A laundry identification tag, comprising jaw: members, normally spring pressed toward one' ,another and having free ends between which goods may be inserted, and goods engaging means ifon said jaw members including a tongue carried by one jaw member and an aperture in the other jaw member, said aperture being larger than said tongue and said tongue extending in a direction away from the free ends of said jaws, f1 being undercut on the side away from said free ends,and having a'rounded goods engaging end adapted to enter the aperturein said other jaw Sand to be disposed adjac'entone side of said apert ure when) the tongue and aperture are in operative relation. 2. A laundry identification ,"members normally spring pressed towardf'one another and having free ends. between which goods may be inserted, and, goods engaging means on saidjaw members including spaced tongues and 'an intermediateaperture carried by 'one of said jaws and spaced apertures and an x intermediate tongue carried by the other of said ,,'ja ws whereby tongu'esof one jaw cooperate with apertures of the other, said apertures being larger than said tongues, and said tongues extending in a direction away from the free ends of said jaws, being undercut on the side away from the free ends, and having rounded goods engaging ends adapted to enter the apertures in said other jaws and to be disposed adjacent one side of said apertures when the tongues and apertures are in'cooperative relation.

3. A laundry identification tag, comprising jaw members normally spring pressed toward one another and having free ends between which goods'may be inserted, and goods engaging means on saidjaw members including a tongue carried by one jaw and an aperture in the other for receiving said tongue, said aperture being larger than said tongue and said tongue including a top side extending upwardly and in a direction away from the free end of the jaw of which it forms a part to terminate in a rounded non-goods-piercing end, and having an under side out back from said end to extend angularly downwardly toward the free end of the jaw and form a goods receiving space thereunder.

4. A laundry identification tag, comprising jaw members normally spring pressed toward one panotherjand having free ends between which goods may be inserted, and goods engaging means on said jaw members including a tongue carried by one jaw and an aperture in the other for 1'6"; ceiving said tongue, said aperture being larger than said tongue and said tongue including a .top sideextending upwardly and in a direction away from the free end of the jaw of which it forms a part to terminate in a rounded non-; goods-piercing end, and having an under side out back from said end to extend angularly downwardly toward the free end of the jaw and form a goods receiving space thereunder, said jaw being arranged whereby the said rounded endthereof is adjacent one side of the said aper: ture when the said jaw and aperture are in cooperative relation whereby to force engaged goods beneath the out back under side of said tongue. i

5. A laundry identification tag, comprising jaw members normally spring pressed toward one another and having free ends between which goods may be inserted, and goods engaging means on said jaw members includin a tongue carried;

by. one jaw and an aperture in the other for re- ;ceiving said tongue, said aperture being larger than said tongue and said tongue including a top tag, comprising aw side of the same general configuration as said aperture and extending upwardly and in a direc;

tion away from the free end of the jaw of which it forms a part to terminate in a rounded nongoods-piercing end, and having an under side out back from said end to extend angularly downwardly toward the free end of the jaw and form a goods receiving space thereunder. ANGUS F. HANNEY. 

